Melinda Echoes and the Ghost of Time
by Rossuron
Summary: Set in the future, Melinda Echoes is ready to attend the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and is both eager and reserved to meet likeminded wizards, delve into all sorts of mischief and uncover secrets of a lifetime.
1. A New Beginning

The sun sliced through the slits of the blinds and radiated within the bedroom of Melinda Echoes. The only child to Gregory and Linda rolled around in her bed, eyes forced shut, trying to find the comfiest position and not allow the sunshine to disturb her slumber. Resting in one place only lasted mere seconds before a readjustment was required. Not before long, Melinda opened her eyes and let out an unsatisfied huff. Her eyes were a cascading shade of blue which was only accentuated by her dark brown hair. It was the start to another day in middle Missouri as Melinda could tell the sun hung high above in the sky outside. However, this would turn out unlike any other day as the end to summer drew close.

"Melinda! Time for breakfast!" An inviting voice rang.

She sat up on her bed and yawned. She pulled out a wand from under her covers she had seemingly been sleeping with the entire time. With the flick of her wrist her door magically swung open. She scooted to the edge of the mattress and wiped away any sleep from her eyes. Melinda stood next to her door and stared into the full body mirror hung on the wall. She was scrawny but proportionate because of her lack of height. Her young face analyzed herself until a smirk finally emerged.

"Coming, mom!" She bellowed.

Melinda scurried to the washroom with haste before marching down the bungalow corridor and finding her usual spot at the table. She exchanged the wand in her hand for the fork on the table. Her father, Greg, was already positioned at one end of the table with his nose in a newspaper. Images next to articles danced around on the newsprint fittingly entitled 'The Wizzouri Herald.' Her mother, Linda, donned an apron over top her clothes and jumped from the stove top to the table and delivered her daughter some piping hot pancakes. Melinda dug in.

"So today is the big day, huh?" Greg's tone attempted to channel any excitement.

"The big day?" Melinda questioned with a mouthful of fluffy pancakes.

Her father lowered the paper just enough for his eyes to be seen peering towards his daughter.

"That's right. We should be receiving it in the mail... any... second... now," He paced.

Just like magic, there was a knock at the front door. Melinda rose from her chair and waltzed over. She opened the door and noticed an envelope fluttering in the air just in front of her shins. She was quick to grab it and return to her spot at the kitchen table.

"What should I do!? What should I do!? Should I open it?" She asked nervously.

"I'd say so!" Greg replied.

She had to examine the letter first. The envelope had a coffee stained color to it and a green seal on the back. She opened it gingerly and pulled out a letter that had writing on it from a feather-inked quill.

"Well go on... what does it say?" Linda said as she nestled into her spot at the table with some pancakes of her own.

Melinda cleared her throat.

"Dear Ms. Echoes, please find enclosed your acceptance letter to the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Located on Mount Greylock, Massachusetts, Ilvermorny has a rich history of providing all types of wizards a safe haven to practice, sharpen, and broaden their magical horizons! It is our pleasure to extend an enrollment invitation to you as both your parents were successful students during their tenure with us. We would only be happy for you to call Ilvermorny your home for the foreseeable future!" Her voice shook with excitement.

"Well doesn't that sound dandy?" Mr. Echoes' attempt at humor definitely fell flat.

Melinda kept reading.

"We understand you are a bit older than first time students and have had some home training so needless to say we have higher expectations from you! We would have loved to have had you earlier but looking back, having your parents introduce you to the foundations of magic directly, at an early age, probably bodes better for you than anything we could have done or provided then!" She read aloud.

She paused and looked upwards at her parents. The three of them shared the same emotional gleam in their eyes. Melinda's eyes couldn't help but dart back down towards the page.

"Unfortunately... uh-oh," She trailed off as her tone changed from shrill to concerned.

"What is it, honey?" Linda chimed in.

"U-unfortunately you cannot attend the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry unless you pass the Trial of a True Wizard. We have informed you of our location but indeed Ilvermorny is no easy task to find. You must clear through the Fog of Acceptance and only then will you be deemed worthy and granted entry into the school. We look forward to meeting you should you pass this trial. Classes begin in September. Sincerely, Thom Crockett, Headmaster," She stammered.

Dejected, Melinda allowed the letter to flutter from her fingertips to the stained wood kitchen table in front of her. How was she ever expected to make it to Ilvermorny now that she was tasked with tackling the Fog of Acceptance and the Trial of a True Wizard? She had always heard that Ilvermorny was a world renowned school of magic but she was quick to doubt any and all of the skills shown to her by her parents. After all, she had only been taught the basics. A different kind of gleam began to formulate in her eyes - an unhappy one.

"What's wrong, dear?" Linda comforted as she moved to a seat directly beside her daughter and placed a loving hand on her back.

Melinda held her emotions inside as she had never been tested quite like this before so anything unknown understandably brought forth a sense of uneasiness.

"What if I can't do it?" She doubted, "What if I fail and can't make it through the Fog of Acceptance? What if I never make it to Ilvermorny?"

Her father folded up the paper and crossed his legs and arms. He gave that certain fatherly look to Melinda.

"Are you being serious right now?" He said as his bushy grey moustache bounced when he spoke, "That is what you're concerned with? You just got the letter of a lifetime from the alma mater of your parents, a very prestigious school, and you don't even take a second to celebrate? Let me tell you something, Melinda. You will be just fine! First of all, you are a pure blood. You come from a long line of excellent wizarding Echoes! You really need to stop worrying so much about the future. I feel it's all you do sometimes. Besides... if and I mean IF by some miracle the Fog of Acceptance rejects you and doesn't show you the way to Ilvermorny then it wasn't meant to be."

"That's right. Then you can come back here and find something else for yourself," Linda chimed in.

Melinda regained her confidence but it wasn't because of anything her parents said. They were always supportive of her when she was unsure of anything. Instead, she regained her confidence once her eyes locked onto the wand seemingly waiting at attention on the table next to her plate of food.

"Can... can I..." Melinda's voice trailed once more.

She reached out and grabbed the wand. It was rather long, heavy and pointed for its kind. It ran a full 14 inches of alder wood with a phoenix feather for its core and most importantly it had a quirky yet springy feel to it for its age. She idolized that wand. She held it in front of her face and rotated it with her wrist, constantly examining it with her eyes. Each time she looked at it she could find new intricate details about it she hadn't noticed before.

"May I please bring Grandma's wand with me? I think I'll have a better chance to be shown the way to Ilvermorny with it," She asked gently but firmly.

Neither Greg nor Linda needed to say another word. It would have already been a forgone conclusion for Melinda to take her grandmothers wand but they couldn't help but admire the respectful nature of their daughter asking if it was acceptable to do so. The trio converged into a family group hug. Melinda smiled. For she knew her adventure within the wizarding world was only just beginning.


	2. Conundrum Woods

It was a surprisingly cool evening as Melinda ventured down the twisting dirt path leading into Conundrum Woods. She was on the edge of the forest said to be the first step to Ilvermorny. She clutched her belongings close to her chin and flipped the hood of her sweater over her head in an effort to keep warm. The starry night sky was peaceful and had sparse cloud coverage. It was quiet and all she could hear was the scuffing of her boots against the ground and the odd cricket in the bushes. She arrived at a jagged wooden sign at the fringe of the forest.

"Conundrum Woods," She muttered to herself.

She peered ominously into the forests reach before continuing onward. Step by step she delved further into the woods. She wasn't feeling any sort of tiredness at all but every so often she would take a swig of water from the canteen jug she was carrying. Her mother's care taking voice constantly rang in her head to stay hydrated. On occasion, she would crack out the map her father gave her before leaving home. It was the map he used to find Ilvermorny the first time and seeing that he was rather successful, Melinda thought it would be wise to attempt to retrace his footsteps.

"Let's see here," She kept talking to herself as she squinted and turned the map all at once.

Her gaze rose from the map to the trees in front of her and back again. There were many tall, thick, old spruce trees scattered about the uneven forest ground. Mounds of tree roots blocked many potential pathways. The odd crow gawked and leaped from tree branch to tree branch, seemingly following the young wizarding girl.

"If I'm here, then I should go this way," She plotted decisively.

She gingerly stepped over a few tricky potholes and exposed roots to arrive at a tiny clearing in the middle of the woods. She thought it might be a good idea to set up camp for the night as there was a fair bit of even ground best suited for a tent. She dropped her pack by the closest tree stump and took another drink of water before setting everything up.

"Seems kinda cozy I guess," She said, trying to make the best out of the somewhat dingy conditions.

She pulled the tent kit from her pack and began to let it unfurl. Just as she finished hammering in the last peg into the ground she thought she heard the sound of twigs breaking in the distance. She halted all movement and rose to her feet.

"Hello? Is anybody there?" She asked, readying her wand in her hand.

Her voice echoed but there was no response. Melinda figured it was just a squirrel or something so she unzipped the front tent flap with the flick of her wrist with her wand. She promptly made herself at home. She found herself wrapped in blankets, falling asleep squarely in the middle of the tent floor. Her eyelids fluttered. Thoughts danced around her head of how enticingly awesome Ilvermorny was going to be. She simply couldn't wait to get there. She gracefully closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" A high pitched shrill boomed.

It had felt like her eyelids had closed for only a mere second before a blisteringly loud screech roared throughout the woods. Melinda darted to attention faster than the all new Nimbus 9000 X Series advertised. Incited in a panic and completely disoriented, she fumbled out of the tent in confusion. She hadn't even gotten her bearings yet but all she could do was cover her ears in an excruciating amount of pain. She looked for her wand but realized she left it back in the tent. Just then, the screeching came to an abrupt end. She looked skyward and saw a few shadowy dark figures perched high in the tree branches above.

"Mmm-mm, mmm MMmm mm," They spoke ambiguously.

They were not speaking gibberish - Melinda still had ringing in her ears so anything the figures above her said was just heard as muffled white noise. It wasn't until a few moments passed until the ringing in her ears subsided.

"Hello there! Can you hear us? Can you hear what I am saying to you?" A deep voice projected.

Melinda looked up and squinted as the moonlight was rather bright. She attempted to shelter her eyes with her hands as she nodded in acceptance of hearing them.

"Good. You have entered our territory. This portion of Conundrum Woods is Mandrake Grenadier country. You have been given one mandrake warning shout. If you refuse to leave peacefully then prepare yourself for the full brunt of our mandrakes power!" The being threatened.

By this time Melinda's senses had returned to her. She could clearly see three beings dressed in dark clothes perched high in the trees, each holding what appeared to be a potted plant. They had their hands firmly holding their plants. She knew immediately that mandrakes were obviously at the ready and that she better do something quick before they got unleashed once more.

"Ummmm, kind sir, I am just on my way to the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am an aspiring student there. Can't you grant me passage after just one night? I am tired and need to rest," She spoke civilly.

"HIYA! TAKE THIS YA LOUSY MANDRAKE GRENADIERS! BAUBILLIOUS" Another random voice interjected.

Before a response could be given, a blinding bolt of lightning shot out from the darkness which was no more than twenty feet from Melinda. She nearly choked at the sight of a young man charging in her general direction, wand extended skyward. She watched as the bolt of lightning flung upward at the three shadowy figures, recklessly missing them entirely. The boy came to a halt right by Melinda. He slouched immediately in an effort to catch his breath.

"Who are you? What the heck is going on?" She blurted.

"No time to talk! We gotta run!" He shouted.

The boy wasted no time and grabbed Melinda by the wrist and ran off. Her eyes darted between where she was going and this strange boy that literally just pulled her away. He was rather dirty. His clothes were covered in mud and his face was laced with sweat and grime.

"GET THEM! Grenadiers... FAN OUT!" The leader grenadier directed.

The three grenadiers temporarily holstered their mandrakes and began to dance along the treetops, gaining speed as they went. Something about the way they moved gave Melinda the feeling they weren't exactly human. The boy continually looked back and noticed they were getting closer. He generously kept tossing lightning bolt pot-shots back at the trio, hoping to get lucky. He didn't, although he was able to make a mess of things which might have impeded some of the grenadier's advancements.

"KEEP GOING! THERE'S A CLIFF AHEAD! WE'VE GOT TO JUMP OFF OF IT!" The boy screamed.

It wasn't like Melinda had much of a choice in the matter as the boy's grip on her wrist only tightened. She noticed they had pretty much left the clutter of the woods behind and were coming up fast on a rather steep cliff. The cliff featured a waterfall and the amount of natural mist made for a picturesque escape.

"STOP!" She screamed back.

The two of them stopped running just as they arrived at the cliff's edge. They stood straight up for a moment, too scared to peek behind them for fear of seeing a Mandrake Grenadier. Melinda finally gathered up the courage and looked back. They had gotten far enough away from the woods to see the Mandrake Grenadiers standing in a row, on top of the last set of trees.

"Aha! We did it! We outran them and we didn't even need to jump off the cliff to a sure death after all now didn't we?" The boy chuckled, "That's right. Off with ya, you grimy bunch of grenadiers! I forgot they are confined to the trees."

The boy spoke emphatically as he shook the wand he held in victory.

"Good catch on that one there... ummm... uhhhh..." The boy led in, hoping to score her name.

"Melinda. Melinda Echoes," She introduced rather timidly.

The boy released her wrist from his grasp and took a bow.

"The name is Blake Lostwoods. It is truly nice to meet you m'lady," Blake formalized.

She wiped her hand on her shirt in an effort to get the dirt off. It didn't work.

"Blake... Lostwoods?" She asked as the Mandrake Grenadiers disappeared off into the distance, "You're joking right? Lostwoods is your last name?"

He nodded strongly but strangely. He was tall and scraggly. His lankiness was the same as Melinda's. He had big teeth and a smile as wide as his face allowed. His clothes were tattered and torn as it appeared he had been in Conundrum Woods for quite some time.

"Yes ma'am. That's my name," He confirmed, finally catching his breath.

"Odd. That just seems like a name someone would randomly create," She prodded.

"Well..." He started, "Where are we right now?"

Melinda glanced around.

"The side of a cliff," She identified.

His expression was unimpressed.

"Okay, fair enough. I didn't expect that but I mean, like, where did we just come from?" Blake asked as he lifted his arm slowly and pointed to the woods.

"Ohhhh, the woods!" Melinda playfully caught on.

"Right. My last name is Lostwoods because, rather fittingly, everyone in my family usually ends up lost in the woods at one point or another in their life so they thought they might as well embrace it!" He reasoned.

Although zany, his reasoning actually made sense to Melinda.

"So what the heck was that with the grenadiers?" She inquired.

"Ah, they stole my pack yesterday. I told them I was trying to make my way to the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and they said some junk about being in their inventory or something and stole my pack," His accent began to shine through.

"Inventory? You mean territory and what kind of accent is that?" Melinda asked.

"I'm Irish. The family wanted me to attend the best school so they sent me here. Fitting, I get lost in the woods along the way though. What has you out here?" Blake asked back.

"Same. Ilvermorny," She conceded, "But all my things are back in the woods... including my wand! I need that!"

Blake shook his head casually.

"No problem m'dear. We'll go and get your stuff. Just gotta be super quiet about the way we go about doin' it ya understand? Wouldn't want to rile up the Mandrake Grenadiers or anything," He cautioned.

"Oh no... wouldn't want to do that at all," Melinda sarcastically replied.

The two headed back slowly towards Conundrum Woods.

"So... if we jumped off that cliff, would it have been a sure death?" Melinda asked.

Blake wrinkled his face in deep thought.

"No. Probably not. Was just sayin' that for dramatic effect. Well now... actually... maybe... who knows... yes. Definitely yes. We would have died for sure," He flip flopped.

Melinda wasn't quite sure what to make of this outlandish character but somehow, someway, deep down inside, she knew she could trust him.


	3. Trial of a True Wizard

Melinda walked down the trail alongside her new found friend in Blake Lostwoods as they made the long trek to the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Together, the journey seemingly dissipated in the blink of an eye due to the conversations they had.

"... and that's how I turned my cousin into a chocolate frog!" Blake finished another one of his grand stories.

Melinda couldn't help but chuckle. He was a bit of an odd lad but as nice as they could come. She enjoyed hearing all his stories because he was very passionate about everything he said - yes, even the story about how he temporarily turned his cousin into a chocolate frog.

"Got any stories like that, m'lady?" He inquired.

The sun was setting on another day as the two lugged their belongings closer and closer to where the Fog of Acceptance was said to be located. Melinda was glad to see Blake in good spirits, especially since they recovered his stuff from Conundrum Woods and not to mention, he cleaned himself up too.

"Why do you call me 'm'lady'?" She redirected.

Blake shrugged his shoulders.

"Dunno. I just usually call people by the nickname I feel best represents them, that's all. If it bothers you then I'll stop," He reassured, not wanting to cause a rift in their newly found friendship.

"Nah, it's okay. I don't mind it," Melinda shook her head.

Blake smiled at her response.

"So... on with ya. Got any crazy stories?" He asked once more.

Melinda took a moment to scan her brain for memories but she drew a blank. She had no such exciting stories of mischief or tomfoolery the likes of Blake's tall tales because she had come from a home where she was rather sheltered.

"Nothing I can think of to be honest," She said innocently enough.

"Argh, that's rubbish!" Blake swatted, "You're telling me you don't even have one decent story? No misuse of a spell? No mixing of two potions to see what it would do? Nothing? Sheesh, good thing ya'ar goin' to Ilvermorny. At least something tells me you'll be making memories there."

Whether Blake was clairvoyant or just trying to make light of the situation remained to be seen but regardless, it comforted young Melinda Echoes into a sense of security.

"Well, would you look at that!?" Blake exclaimed.

The two arrived at the top of a hill and could see an ominous mist off in the distance.

"That has to be it. That has to be the Fog of Acceptance!" Melinda excitedly cried.

"That must mean that Ilvermorny is on the other side! Oh, we're so close now! Last one to it is a rotten Cornish Pixie!" Blake teased.

The two appeared to chase each other down the hill and to the brink of where the land met the Fog of Acceptance. Blake got there first and Melinda had to catch her breath upon joining him.

"Wow. It's mystical," Blake said, hesitant to extend a hand.

Melinda noticed his bashfulness about the Fog of Acceptance. She approached it with care too.

"WHOOOOO GOES THEREEEEEE?" A trembling deep voice resonated.

The two friends jolted back, making sure not to touch the fog.

"M-my name is Melinda. Melinda Echoes and I have been granted acceptance into the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" She spoke softly.

She looked over at Blake and tried to prompt him to speak with a nod of her head except he just stood still in shock.

"Go on... say your name," She leant over and whispered to Blake.

He was having none of it. It was as if the fog had somehow entranced him in fear.

"IS THAT ALLLLLLLL?" The voice replied.

"Ummm, no. I am also here with my friend, Blake Lostwoods, who has also been granted enrollment at Ilvermorny," Melinda spoke up.

A few moments of silence rolled by as Melinda was not sure if it was acceptable to speak to the fog's voice on someone else's behalf.

"VERY WELLLLLLLLLL..." The voice trailed, "SHOW ME YOUR ILVERMORNY LETTERS OF ACCEPTANCE AND THE TRIAL OF A TRUE WIZARD SHALL COMMENCEEEEEE."

Without further prompting, Melinda scurried through her bag and hastily pulled out her acceptance letter. She held it upward, towards the fog, hand shaking and all. Her eyes darted over to Blake who was still frozen.

"Pssssssssst! Blake! Wake up!" She whisper-shouted.

It was no use. Melinda noticed her letter of acceptance had been lifted from her grasp and was floating high above her. The fog gently cleared away which created an archway only she could walk through.

"PLEASE ENTER AND BEGIN YOUR TRIALLLLLL," The voice boomed.

Melinda acted quickly, whipping out her wand and zapping Blake in a last ditch effort to bring him to attention.

"Rennervate!" She whisper-shouted once more.

A small white light shot from the tip of her wand and fittingly jolted Blake's backside. He blinked once - then twice and as if on cue, produced his Ilvermorny acceptance letter to the fog. It flew up in the air and an archway into the fog was created for him as well. The two tentatively walked through their respective archways.

"What was that for?" Blake complained.

"Are you serious? You should be thanking me! You blanked out!" She rebutted.

Blake looked visibly upset almost to the point where he didn't truly think he would have made it so far. The aspiring wizarding students kept walking down a path that was completely engulfed in fog.

"What do we do now?" Blake asked with a panic-stricken voice.

"I don't know," Melinda continued to whisper, worried that someone was listening.

They continued to walk until they arrived at a set of two doors. They stood tall and were made of old pinewood. The grains in the door were long and loopy and each knob was made of rusty iron. They both had to take a peek around the doors but noticed nothing but more fog on the other side.

"Should we open them?" Blake hesitated.

Melinda was tired of talking. She grabbed the doorknob in front of her and swung it open. Blake followed suit.

"INSIDE IS THE TRIAL. PASS AND YOU SHALL BE SHOWN THE WAY TO ILVERMORNY. FAIL AND YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF AT THE EDGE OF THE FOG FOREVER TO BE REDIRECTED AWAY. BE WARNED, EACH TRIAL IS UNIQUE. INSIDE YOU WILL ENCOUNTER YOUR GREATEST FEARRRRR... OF THE FUTUREEEEEE," The thunderous voice imposed.

Blake looked at Melinda. Melinda looked at Blake. They both sort of mouthed the words 'Of the future?' to each other in disbelief. How were they supposed to know what anything they encountered in there meant? Furthermore, if they were going to encounter a fear of theirs in the future, how were they supposed to fear it now? The conundrum aside, they stepped through the door frames and into the darkness. 

* * *

Melinda stood surrounded by nothing but complete emptiness. Nothing seemed to happen either.

"So I fear nothing in the future? Or maybe it's a metaphor... loneliness? I fear being alone?" She reasoned to herself, trying to figure it all out.

Suddenly, a dastardly howl echoed around her. Flashes of light zipped by her way too fast for her to notice any details. She turned vigorously, trying to catch a glimpse of what went by before the face of a massive ghost peered down at her from above. Its pale blue color was assembled by drifting smoke and never remained static long enough for Melinda to get a decent look.

"Who are you!?" Melinda yelled, "What do you want!?"

She got no such response. Instead the ghostly vapors disappeared, only to reappear in another location again and again. Getting fed up, Melinda extended her wand.

"I am done playing games!" Melinda shouted with irritation, targeting the ghost.

The ghost continually bounced around, taunting Melinda to try and catch it.

"That's it! I WARNED YOU! ORBIS!" She shouted vindictively to the skies.

When focused, her wand acuity was nearly unmatched for someone her young age as she violently swung her arm in the air, shooting orbis circles every which way she could. The ghost dodged the first few but eventually got caught in a cleverly laid trap when Melinda shot orbis circles in two directions. The ghost was held in place and Melinda marched towards her prey.

"I have had enough of this," She stated, spellbound, "Who are you and why do I fear you in my future?" She questioned.

The smoky faced ghost turned and grinned evilly at Melinda. It just had one message for her before evaporating into thin air.

"Fifty years... you will see... strongest soul... the bell will toll," It slithered. 

* * *

Melinda blinked a half dozen times. Her eyes hurt. It was way too bright out. She found herself standing in the lowest part of a valley with no fog to speak of in sight. The lush grass swayed in the wind and everything was peaceful once more. Her hand holding her wand still trembled until she relaxed it by her side.

"What the..." She muttered, trying to make sense of it all.

She gazed upward and noticed two mammoth peaks easily 100 feet tall, bound by a bridge and on the rightmost mountain was the most cathedral-like castle she had ever seen. It was as if the castle was built into the towering mountain. She could barely catch her breath at the sight of such a captivating place.

"Ilvermorny!" She exclaimed.

Without hesitation, she began making her way to one of the many staircases built into one of the peaks. She only took five steps before stopping though.

"Wait," She stopped herself, "Blake?"

She was so encapsulated with getting to Ilvermorny that her friend had completely slipped her mind. However, he was nowhere to be seen. She thought for sure he made it through his trial so maybe it was more than a possibility he didn't wait for her and they'd meet at the gates of Ilvermorny castle itself. Then contemplation kicked in. Well what if he _didn't_ make it through his trial? What if he failed and was forced to stand just outside the Fog of Acceptance, being teased about making it to Ilvermorny? Or worse, what if something bad happened to him during his trial? Her heart raced and mind wandered. Even though she only just met him, she didn't want to see anything bad happen to anyone.

"MELINDA!" Blake's playful voice sounded off from a distance.

Melinda's heart leapt from panic to pure joy as she saw Blake sprinting full speed towards her.

"You're late! You had me worried! Don't ever do that again to me, you hear?" She joked as she punched Blake in the shoulder softly.

He rubbed it, pretending it really hurt.

"Ouch! What was that for? So you were worried about me, m'lady?" He grinned devilishly.

"Enough. I am just glad to see you made it because Ilvermorny is right there!" She pointed.

Blake peered beyond her extended finger and caught a glimpse of the fabled American school of witchcraft and wizardry.

"Oh wow! You'd think a big castle on a mountain like that would be pretty eye-catching now, wouldn'tcha? I nearly didn't see it until you pointed it out!" He said with a deadpan look on his face.

The two began to climb the many steps up the side of the mountain.

"So what was your trial about?" Melinda asked Blake.

For the second time in the same day the brightest guy in the room turned into the biggest introvert.

"I-I... uhhhhh... I rather not speak about it right now," He deflected, "You?"

Melinda looked concernedly at her friend before answering.

"A ghost. I fought a ghost and captured it with orbis," She stated, not holding back the truth.

Blake just nodded and it was clear he wished the topic would just go away. It didn't take long either because they had arrived at the bridge which showcased Ilvermorny waiting for them at the end of it.


	4. Sorted

The entranceway into Ilvermorny castle was grand. The cathedral-like ceiling had no bounds as students and professors scurried through the corridors. Melinda and Blake stood there, dumbfounded as could be. They were both scared and nervous as they were unsure exactly what to do. They noticed everyone wearing robes and they were just in normal street clothes. Charms and spells danced around the wands of students to their left while a set of professors were having what looked like a heated discussion about how to un-jinx a feral cat to their right.

"Ummmm, what should we do?" Melinda asked as she leaned in close to Blake.

Blake just shrugged his shoulders. It wasn't until a tall man noticed them did they dare move a muscle.

"Hello there," The middle aged gentleman introduced.

Melinda showed her true withdrawn colors by bashfully nodding.

"The name's Professor Ellipses. Carmichael Ellipses to be exact. You two look lost. May I help you at'tall?" He spoke with a jitter.

The professor was dressed in a black robe which made him appear much larger and menacing than his true stature. He clasped his hands at his front and attempted to give off the impression that he was being helpful.

"Y-yes sir. We're new students here," Blake stuttered, clutching his wand close.

Professor Ellipses' eyes couldn't help but wander down to Blake's hands which were fumbling around with the wand.

"New? Really?" Professor Ellipses questioned as he analyzed the two young persons in front of him.

They nodded slowly at first and then emphatically.

"But you have a wand. New students at Ilvermorny are forbidden to have wands until they are sorted," He snapped.

Although he chirped Melinda and Blake, Professor Ellipses' teeth didn't exactly have the same bite to it as other well-known witchcraft teachers. Melinda ensured she hid her wand as best as possible as she didn't want all the trouble she went through to get to this point to be for not but it was no use. Professor Ellipses already saw that she had a wand too.

"How old are you two?" He asked.

"Old enough," Blake snapped back.

Professor Ellipses smiled mysteriously. He couldn't hold onto the charade much longer.

"Names please," He requested.

"Blake," Blake spat.

"Melinda," She spoke softly.

Professor Ellipses unclasped his hands and pulled out a scroll of paper from one of the front pockets of his robe. He unfurled it and looked at it through squinted eyes. He hummed and hawed before rolling it up tight and depositing it back in his robe.

"Lostwoods and Echoes, I presume? We've been expecting you. Right this way," He led.

Professor Ellipses wasted no time walking the two aspiring wizards through a few narrow hallways, past some rambunctious students, and into the grand hall. It was massive and there was a small gathering of students and professors around a Gordian knot on the floor. Melinda and Blake gazed at it and couldn't help but be intimidated.

"Are they going to sacrifice us?" Melinda whispered to Blake.

He just shrugged again as they felt their lives were in the hands of Professor Ellipses now. Their eyes were drawn from the Gordian knot on the floor to four very large, distinct wooden statues facing them, creating a half circle. The statues were so big they could almost touch the ceiling. The wood on the statues were grainy and long which was reminiscent of the large wooden doors Blake and Melinda walked through back at the Fog of Acceptance. The one on the far left looked like cat. The one next to it looked like a bird. The next one to that looked like a serpent and the one on the far right looked like a man holding a prominent shield.

"Everyone please stand at attention for the arrival of Headmaster Crockett," Professor Ellipses ordered.

The small group of students watched as the Headmaster of Ilvermorny, Thom Crockett, appeared in view out from behind one of the large wooden statues. His robe was immaculate and definitely one of a kind - cream colored with a gold trim. His weathered face had seen better days but he smiled at the sight of the group before him. Melinda was finally able to put a face to the name inscribed on the acceptance letter she had received which already felt like ages ago.

"Headmaster Crockett," Blake muttered as if attempting to commit that very important name to memory.

"Good day everyone and welcome to Ilvermorny! None of you are late at all!" The Headmaster's voice rang loud and proud.

He extended his hands outward as his smile grew even larger. A sense of relief dripped throughout the crowd of students and they couldn't help but inch ever so closer to the Headmaster as if spellbound.

"Welcome, welcome indeed. As we start another year here at Ilvermorny, we welcome new students - young, very young and maybe a bit older but you're all ours the same. You're here now and thus you walk with the protection of a long and proud lineage - one each of you should cherish and be associated with forever!" He spoke eloquently.

Melinda's heartbeat began to quicken. The excitement coursed throughout her body. She knew that this was her calling. She knew she was exactly where she needed to be at that very moment in her life. Blake, on the other hand, still gazed at the four intimidating statues in front of him.

"And as we usher in this new year, we must complete the sorting process! Each of you will be sorted into one of four houses. From there instructions will be given but for now, please listen to Professor Ellipses for house descriptions," Headmaster Crockett said.

The Headmaster walked over to the side of the cat-looking statue and positioned himself to view the entirety of the sorting ceremony.

"Right. Listen up please, listen up!" Professor Ellipses' tone transitioned from a mysterious one to one rife with pleading, "Before you are the four statues representing each wizarding house at Ilvermorny. May I draw your attention, firstly, to Wampus."

Professor Ellipses pointed to the catlike statue Headmaster Crockett had just positioned himself beside.

"Wampus is the house named after the animal of the very same name. It is said to favour the body of a wizard and best represents warriors," Professor Ellipses described.

Melinda and Blake eyed the Wampus statue. Its claws were massive in proportion compared to the rest of its body. Professor Ellipses waltzed over to the next statue.

"This statue represents the house of Thunderbird..." Professor Ellipses announced.

He continued on with his speech but Melinda suddenly zoned out. She heard nothing. She could see Professor Ellipses talking, his gums flapped and his hands motioned but she had become enthralled with the Thunderbird statue before her. It sat on its legs tall and proud. Its chest protruded and its beak was as strong as its gaze.

"...and it is said to favour the soul or adventurers," Ellipses finished.

The soul? A memory of the ghost Melinda encountered during her Trial of a True Wizard shot through her mind. Why did she feel such a deep connection to the Thunderbird statue and was there some sort of underlying meaning between it all? Nevertheless, Professor Ellipses moved on to the next statue.

"This is the Horned Serpent house statue which is said to represent the mind or scholars," Professor Ellipses noted.

The Horned Serpent was easily the creepiest statue out of the four. Lastly, the professor moseyed on over to the final statue.

"And here we have Pukwudgie. The heart or healers are best suited in this house," He exclaimed.

After his speech, Professor Ellipses meandered on over to the side of Pukwudgie. He took a moment to take in the glares on the faces of the new students.

"Ahhhhh yes. I remember having the very same expression on my face before being sorted too. The moment each of you have been waiting for has finally arrived," Ellipses started, "We shall commence with the sorting ceremony. The instructions each of you need to follow is rather simple. When it is your turn to do so, please walk onto the Gordian knot and state your name aloud. Then you will be sorted via statue's choice. The statue that reacts to you and selects you means you will be joining that house. Should you be so lucky and have multiple statues react then the choice becomes yours... however... I doubt we have anyone that special in this crowd."

Headmaster Crockett cringed at the final sentence out of Ellipses' mouth as he felt it was an unnecessary jab especially coming from one of the more flighty Ilvermorny staff members. Melinda's excited heartbeat quickly gave way to one of worry. She was not sure if any statue was going to select her. She prayed one would and it didn't matter which. A few students took their turn on the Gordian knot and Blake and Melinda watched in amazement as statue after statue came to life and reacted to each student.

"Next!" Professor Ellipses bickered.

Some students had been sorted into Pukwudgie as the statue would raise its shield and stomp the floor while others received entrance into Horned Serpent as that statue hissed in place. Finally, it was Melinda's turn. She tried to regain her confidence as she stepped onto the Gordian knot. She felt like she was on a pedestal and the spotlight was directly on her.

"Name. State your name," Professor Ellipses reminded.

Melinda nodded.

"Melinda Echoes," She said.

Rather fittingly, her name echoed. All sound dissipated with no reaction from any of the statues. It hadn't taken this long for any other student to be sorted before her but it had seemed Melinda's worst nightmare was coming true.

"Again," Ellipses prompted.

"MELINDA ECHOES!" She screamed with closed fists by her side.

Blake watched with worrisome eyes. The echo trailed off. A deep noise finally emerged. Melinda's head twitched towards the Thunderbird statue.

"Looks like it is Pukwudgie for you!" Professor Ellipses smirked.

Initially, it was difficult to place exactly where the sound had emanated from but indeed Melinda was right and Professor Ellipses was wrong. Melinda stood in the middle of the Gordian knot, staring at the Thunderbird statue.

"I said it is Pukwudgie for you! And a very underwhelming selection at that!" Ellipses exclaimed as he reached into the knot and grabbed Melinda by the wrist.

Melinda immediately pulled away. Headmaster Crockett sensed something phenomenal as the ground started to shake. Crockett grabbed Ellipses and pulled him away as the two senior staff watched with the rest of the students as the Thunderbird statue came to life. Its eyes glowed and its wings expanded, nearly knocking over the other statues. It flapped its wings numerous times until a strong gust was propelled towards everyone. Melinda watched in amazement as the Thunderbird statue literally raised up from the ground. It only lasted a mere moment before the statue went back to its lifeless position around the Gordian knot. The air settled. Eyes as wide as the room shot around to each other. Melinda had just been sorted in the Thunderbird house. No student before or after her would get a reaction from a statue like that for the remainder of the day.

"T-Thunderbird it is I guess," A clearly flustered Professor Ellipses pouted.

Melinda walked off the Gordian knot and received a robe from another staff member. She watched a few more get sorted with the biggest smile on her face. She simply couldn't believe she was sorted into Thunderbird, let alone be the recipient of such a grand acceptance.

"Next up please," Professor Ellipses proclaimed as he was still adjusting his robe from the Thunderbird gust moments prior.

A young girl set foot on the Gordian knot. She was shorter than Melinda and had blonde hair but appeared to be at least around the same age. Her face was slightly fuller and it featured an unwavering look of confidence.

"Caroline Carder!" She spoke decadently.

The Wampus statue reacted immediately. Caroline smiled and skipped over to it. Finally, it was Blake's turn. He stepped onto the Gordian knot, glanced over at Melinda, sent her a wink and began his sorting process.

"Blake Lostwoods!" He declared.

A cache of chuckles could help but rumble over the crowd after hearing Blake's last name. Embarrassment aside, Blake stood strong. The only people that didn't snicker were Melinda, Headmaster Crockett, Professor Ellipses and Caroline Carder. It took a second but the Wampus statue came to life. Blake looked over at Melinda and noticed she looked disappointed. They were just sorted into different houses. He gathered himself and stood over beside the Wampus statue and Caroline Carder.

"Hi, I'm Caroline," The delightful Ms. Carder spoke.

"Blake Lostwoods, m'lady," He introduced for a second consecutive time as the two shook hands.

Her eyes locked onto his and Melinda couldn't help but take notice. The excitement that turned to worry and then joy finally faded into some form of uneasiness. Was Melinda experiencing jealousy? She was unsure but she was fixated on the look Caroline was giving Blake. The sorting ceremony wrapped up soon thereafter and students began migrating to their houses. Both Blake and Melinda were marching out of the room before Headmaster Crockett stopped them.

"I see you two have wands already," He observed.

"Yes sir, my apologies but this was my grandmothers and I used it to get here. I was not aware of the rules against attending Ilvermorny with a wand already. I'm sorry," Melinda indicated.

Blake remained silent.

"And you?" Crockett asked the young man in a tone one would be unsure to take as nothing but serious.

"My family gave it to me to aid me in my travels here," He said.

The Headmaster nodded.

"Very well. I see your wands have chosen you already then. Well now, off with ya to your houses!" Headmaster Crockett commanded.

Not another word came from either of them as they headed off with the rest of the group. The awkward silence grew even more awkward as the house Prefects began splitting away to their separate houses.

"Wampus is this way!" Tommy Sprout shouted.

"This is the way to Thunderbird Tower!" James Xander directed.

Melinda looked up at Blake and he looked down to her. Neither was sure if they'd ever see each other again but they shared one last moment together.

"Come on! This way! You're going to get left behind!" Caroline interjected from a distance.

Blake turned and scurried up the stairs to join Caroline. Melinda took an extra second to watch him off before swallowing her pride and marching on to Thunderbird Tower by her lonesome.


	5. Potions 101

The alarm clock on the dresser rang loudly. A hand extended out from under the bed sheets and slapped at it until the ringing ceased. As Melinda awoke from her fifth floor bed in Thunderbird Tower and readied herself for her first official day as a student at the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she noticed the weather outside was dim and drab - a stark comparison to the day she woke up and received her acceptance letter. She also noticed the lack of curtains. Granted, the tower windows were tall and spear shaped at the top so hanging curtains would've been a chore but it was no matter as the fogged glass prevented much of anything from filtering through.

"What time is it?" She groaned, rubbing her eyes.

She realized she didn't have much time to waste as she dragged her body around, first to the washroom where a number of other girls were found giggling about whatever the topic of conversation was. Melinda initially went about her business until she remembered she needed to rush in order to not be late. She snatched her robe from the cabinet and ran off to her first class.

"Left, left, another left and a right," She muttered to herself furiously as she unfolded her paper schedule while navigating through foot traffic.

The halls of Ilvermorny were littered with students and professors alike. Melinda was overwhelmed with the amount of people that were there. She thought for sure she would be late for her first class. She ducked into a side inlet and around the corner to find her first classroom. She slinked on in and noticed just a few vacant seats left. Luckily for her the class hadn't started yet. She occupied the desk closest to the door, which also happened to be at the back of the class. Her eyes darted around the classroom in an effort to settle down despite the fact it was full of rambunctious young wizarding minds. It was clear she had a look of panic pasted on her face. Things got slightly more awkward when she laid eyes on Blake Lostwoods who was sitting next to Caroline Carder. The two seemed interlocked in a rather heated conversation. Melinda sunk into her chair in hopes of him not noticing her - she didn't even need to worry about a chance of that happening though.

"Attention please. May I have everyone's attention!" A soft and loving voice emanated from the front of the classroom.

The banter died down as a short but dainty woman wandered to the front of the class. Her nose was pointed and she had a half smirk on her face which exuded confidence.

"Right, well good morning to my students on this very first day back at school! My name is Shirley Hamcot. You all may call me Professor Hamcot and welcome to Potions 101!" Professor Hamcot introduced so eloquently.

Right away, Melinda was drawn to her. Not did only she come off as genuine but Melinda could tell she was really going to enjoy learning under her. It was a breath of fresh air listening to Professor Hamcot compared to that flake, Professor Ellipses. Still, Melinda couldn't help but gaze over at Blake who was still chatting with Caroline, just on a more subtle level. She noticed them share a smile and then Caroline playfully jabbed her elbow into his arm. It sent an unnerving feeling down Melinda's spine.

"So what can you all expect from a potions class? Well get ready because we're going to dive right in and learn how to make a love potion!" Professor Hamcot smiled.

Love was the last thing Melinda wanted on her mind. Nevertheless, the class proceeded onward and Melinda was left to work alone, learning about how to make a love potion. She tried not to look over at Blake for the rest of the class as she didn't want to be distracted. However, she did want to talk to him but didn't want to force anything either.

"And how are we doing over here all on our lonesome, Ms... ?" Professor Hamcot caught Melinda from behind.

"Echoes. Melinda Echoes ma'am," Melinda gulped as she raised her nose from her textbook.

Professor Hamcot smiled.

"You know you are more than welcome to work with a partner on this task Ms. Echoes. I am unlike most other professors and I promote a deconstructed classroom. I find it is most conducive to learn in a relaxed, informal atmosphere," She invited.

Melinda shrugged her shoulders shyly.

"Why don't you join Timmy and Jimmy Poplar? They're cousins but you'd think they're brothers!" Professor Hamcot directed as she pulled Melinda's desk chair back.

Hesitant, Melinda gathered her books and marched over to the Poplar boys. Blake glanced up from the book he and Caroline were sharing and noticed Melinda relocate. His face was nearly expressionless until she sat down and locked eyes with him. He smiled in a friendly manner. Melinda couldn't help but reciprocate before moving her attention back to the task at hand.

"Hello!" Jimmy shouted.

"Hi!" Timmy followed up.

The two looked oddly similar - they were cousins after all, not brothers. They both had round, grapelike shaped heads that featured bad bowl cuts and large gaps between their teeth. They had bug eyes that seemed to never blink and were fixated on the subject placed in front of them. Their viewing reticles scanned the foreign object that just invaded their territory otherwise known as Melinda Echoes. Super nerdy only scraped the surface to describe these two.

"Jimmy," Timmy cited.

"Timmy," Jimmy replied.

They looked at each other. They nodded. They looked back at Melinda.

"State your business please," Timmy said in the most monotone robotic voice possible towards Melinda.

The two began to close in on her as if a virus had just been injected into their realm of positivity and pureness.

"Excuse me, boys, but I sent Ms. Echoes over to you so she wouldn't have to work alone. So I suggest you make friends and get along now," Professor Hamcot interjected from one desk over.

Silence befell the three of them. Melinda awkwardly looked around as she grasped her books tight. She finally decided it was time to break the long standing silence.

"So I was reading and to make a love potion you need-" Melinda was cut-off mid sentence.

"Powdered moonstone? Peppermint? Ashwinder eggs? Do we look dense to you Ms. Sprocket? We clearly know how to concoct a love potion," Timmy squawked.

Jimmy chuckled.

"Do we look like a pair of freshly hatched trolls to you or something, Ms. Sprocket?" Jimmy chimed in.

The two nerds high-fived each other after exchanging what they thought were exemplary puns. Melinda decided to speak up for herself.

"I will not stand to get belittled by anyone let alone a pair of brothers," She spoke professionally.

Her comments wiped the smiles off Timmy and Jimmy's faces immediately.

"She didn't!" Jimmy said with a quiver to his lip.

Timmy just sat there blinking uncontrollably trying to process what he just heard.

"Ummmm by the way, I don't know if you noticed or not, Ms. Sprocket, but we aren't brothers. We're cousins!" Jimmy corrected.

Witty banter aside, Melinda wanted to divert everyone's attention back to potions.

"Okay, well if you two _cousins_ are so smart and know everything, name one ingredient you require to make a memory potion," Melinda challenged.

The faces of focus consumed both Jimmy and Timmy. They huddled over the desk and began to whisper to each other. Jimmy peered over at Melinda and then Timmy did. Melinda sat patiently the entire time, with her books closed on her lap, until the cousins broke up their huddle and rejoined the conversation.

"Seeing that you think you know it all, why don't you tell us, Ms. Sprocket?" Timmy challenged back.

Now it was Melinda's turn to smile.

"I never said I knew it all but I know how to make a memory potion and I didn't even look at that chapter in our book today. In fact, that's only something found in an _advanced_ potions class," She informed.

By this time, the surrounding few desks within earshot of the three students had ceased operations and were honed in on what was happening. Sweat began to perspire from Jimmy and Timmy's foreheads respectively. It was clear they were stricken with panic.

"Ummmm, ummmm, okay, Ms. Smarty Pants, we'll play your game! You require at least one red spider to make a memory potion!" Jimmy guessed.

Professor Hamcot made her way over to the three argumentative students to take in the verbal jousting.

"A red spider? Are you sure?" Melinda casted doubt.

"WELL WHAT DO YOU THINK THEN?" Timmy lashed out as he rose from a seated position.

Melinda put her books on the desk in front of her and stared directly at the professor as she gave her answer. By now, the entire class, including Blake and Caroline, were all ears.

"In order to create a memory potion you at least need some Jobberknoll feathers," She answered.

As if on cue, the entirety of the class looked upward at Professor Hamcot for verification. It took a moment for even her to think but she eventually nodded.

"A Jobberknoll feather is the correct answer. I'm afraid red spiders are used in the creation of exploding potions, Mr. Poplar. So unless you want to blow things up, like you've just done with your reputation here, I'd stick to simpler things like love potions," Hamcot couldn't help but blast the cousins in embarrassment.

The class burst into laughter as Melinda sat there, rather satisfied with herself. She could always remember the ingredients in a memory potion because the potion itself dealt directly with remembering things.

"Okay, okay, that's enough excitement for today! Settle down, class, settle down now," Professor Hamcot exclaimed in an attempt to corral the class back under control.

Things finally calmed down and students went back to their work. Blake looked over at Melinda and had the same satisfied look on his face. She blushed until she saw Caroline pull his attention away once more.

"So... are we going to work together or not?" Melinda asked as she shifted her attention back to Timmy and Jimmy.

They nodded dejectedly.

"You know, you didn't have to embarrass us in front of the whole class like that," Jimmy said.

"Yeah, we would have taken your word for it that you knew what goes into a memory potion," Timmy said defeated.

Melinda's eyebrows rose. She wasn't about to rub anything in.

"Okay, so how about this love potion then? Shall we get started on it?" She prompted.

Timmy and Jimmy's demeanor slowly got back to their nerdy robotic ways as they problem solved with Melinda for the remainder of the class. It wasn't until the end of the class neared when Timmy and Jimmy accepted Melinda's presence in the group and steered the conversation away from the topic of potions.

"Boy, you sure are smart, aren't you, Melinda?" Jimmy asked.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey! Maybe she has some insight into the _Curse of Thunderbird_?" Timmy teased.

Jimmy looked at Timmy like he should not have said that.

"Curse of Thunderbird? Wait, what house exactly are you two poindexters part of?" Melinda questioned.

The two cousins pointed at the Thunderbird crest on their robes. Indeed, they were all in the same house together. Melinda sarcastically thought what a joy that was to find out, but then she dropped her judgmental side and saw the two brainiacs as potential valuable assets in her back pocket, if ever needed.

"See, she has no idea what that is," Jimmy stated.

"Then maybe she could join us at the next meeting of the _Society of the Feather_ ," Timmy offered.

Jimmy took a moment to mull the options over.

"Society of the Feather? Okay, now I'm officially confused," Melinda spoke.

"Then it is concluded. Melinda," Jimmy started, "It's a crime you're a Thunderbird and you don't even know the curse of the house. Every house of Ilvermorny has a curse attached to it but before I say anymore, I shall save the rest for our super-secret club meeting! Timmy and I head up the Society of the Feather, which meets once a week. Please say you'll attend! Pretty please!"

Melinda took a moment to contemplate the offer. She looked over at Blake one last time. He didn't look back. She had nothing to lose by agreeing to attend.

"Sure. Sounds like fun. See you brothers there," She accepted just as the bell tolled to signal the end of her first class at Ilvermorny.

Students shuffled along, grabbing their belongings as they headed out of the room. Professor Hamcot shouted out the homework for everyone. Melinda grabbed her books and smiled politely at Timmy and Jimmy for the entertaining class.

"Okay, great! Perfect!" Timmy sparked.

"Oh... and we're cousins, not _brothers_ ," Jimmy corrected one final time.


	6. Society of the Feather

It was close to midnight and all was quiet in Thunderbird Tower. Most students were in bed or at the very least, staying silent in their rooms. Only the odd sound of the floor creaking and the tower settling could be heard. That was until Melinda Echoes scampered down the hall as fleet footed as she could. She didn't want to be caught out of her room during these hours out of fear of reprimand. The pace of her steps quickened as her curiosity about getting to her first ever super-secret meeting of the Society of the Feather grew.

"Who goes there?" A haggard voice rang.

Melinda darted behind a column near the spiral staircase. The torches along the wall flickered. She was shocked to hear another person out and about so late at night and she was equally perturbed with the Poplar boys for how far away their room felt. She took a moment, gathered herself and checked to see if the coast was clear before resuming her trek. She only needed to get to the eleventh floor after all. Unfortunately for her, she turned right into the sternum of a grumpy old man.

"Ouch! Watch it willya!" He growled, "Wait a second! You're a student! What are you doing out of bed at such an hour?"

Melinda gazed upward at the tall man. He looked weak because of how skinny he was but his grouchy attitude gave anything but that impression. His clothes were also baggy which made it look like they were weighing him down rather heavily.

"I'm sorry, sir," Melinda spoke softly.

The man groaned. He took a few paces back which enabled Melinda to see a mop and bucket by his side.

"A-are you the janitor?" Melinda asked preciously.

"Th'names Benedict Grumblegoff," He snarled, "And yes, I'm the janitor 'round these parts."

With a name like that, Melinda thought it would be wise to avoid agitating such a person.

"Well it's nice to meet you, sir," She curtsied.

Grumblegoff snickered at her feeble attempt to charm her way out of any wrongdoing.

"Where ya goin?" He asked begrudgingly.

"Up to the eleventh floor to see my friends, sir. I promise I will be quiet if you let me go without incident!" She pleaded.

Melinda watched as Benedict moseyed backwards tentatively. He snatched the mop from the ground and resumed his janitorial duties of mopping the tiled floor. She noticed how he would jab the mop at the floor rather violently. She just figured anyone within a janitorial role had to be naturally gifted grouches.

"On with ya," He nodded, eyes dedicated to his work.

Melinda could tell that although he was grouchy, Benedict preferred to stay in the shadows and that it was tough for him to show any sort of compassion so she graciously took the opportunity afforded to her before there was any chance of him recanting. She bolted up the stairs and left the janitor to his random mopping duties. She finally arrived at the door of the Poplars. She raised her hand to knock but the door drifted open instead.

"Okay..." She muttered.

She peered inside and saw six students crouched within a fort made out of floating blankets and couch pillows. She also noticed one of them had their wand extended towards the door which explained how it opened so quietly. She shuffled in and found a spot on the floor to sit down.

"Hi," She said shyly.

All eyes were on her as she was the only girl in entire room. The boys other than Timmy and Jimmy were unsure how to react to such a phenomenon.

"Well gang, this is Melinda. She's a super smart cookie that we met in potions class so we decided to bend the rules and invite her to this meeting," Jimmy spoke.

"Bend the rules? You broke them! No girls are ever allowed at the Society of the Feather!" One of the other students professed angrily.

Melinda suddenly felt out of place. It was as if she crossed the barrier into a nerd's most sacred space. She folded her arms and legs as she began to feel both uncomfortable and unwelcome all at once.

"I'm sorry. Maybe this was a bad idea. I should go," She suggested.

She rose from her seated position and stepped away from the floating fortress of cushions.

"Wait!" Timmy shouted, "We invited you here. You're here now. Stay with us. Everyone, introduce yourself to Melinda. Now! Even you, Irwin. The feather orders it!"

Melinda's eyes darted around the fort at each person. It appeared that the final phrase Timmy said made his orders official and binding and that only serious commands were followed by making it an order from the feather, whatever that really meant.

"Hi, I'm Dexter Rosemont," The first boy said with slurred speech.

Dexter had thick rectangular glasses that rested on the bridge of his nose. His hair was messy and you wouldn't dare shake his hand for his fingertips were laced with remnants of Curly's CheeZee cheese powder.

"Allen Wonderbranch," The next student introduced.

Allen was the one that opened the door with his wand and enchanted the cushions floating around them. The group looked at Irwin as he was next but he turned his nose up at the opportunity and looked away instead.

"Jones McStrath and I know what you're thinking and the answer is no, I'm not a nerd like these dweebs. You might wonder what a guy like me is even doing here and I ask myself that during every single meeting. The truth is, not only do these guys need some quality control, but they also need a little credibility too. That's why I'm here," He winked.

Indeed, Jones looked nothing like a nerd. Melinda didn't even question it at first but it did become odd to her after thinking about it for a minute. Jones was handsome and sat in a nonchalant way that put her at ease. She felt compelled to sit back down in the fort.

"Irwin..." Timmy implored.

Ever reluctant, Irwin was the last of the unknowns to introduce himself to Melinda.

"I'm Irwin Plackmeyer and I am one of the three founding members of the society alongside Timmy and Jimmy. If you disrespect us, expect an unrelenting hand come forthwith," Irwin threatened rather hollowly.

Irwin looked by far the nerdiest, which was saying something. Every button on his shirt was done up, even the topmost ones. He sported a polka dot bowtie and way too much product in his hair as it was slicked back to perfection. He tried to keep a menacingly disapproving face whenever anything involved Melinda.

"And you know us already; Timmy and Jimmy," Jimmy pointed, "I should note that we each have unique roles here at the Society of the Feather. Timmy and I are the schedulers. We plan each meeting and remind everyone when it is. Dexter is the scribe. He records the meetings. Allen is facilities. He builds the fort and monitors foot traffic. Irwin is the knowledge base to which our conversations stem from and Jones... well he already told you why he's here. We want to look cool too you know."

"It's not always a pillow fort," Allen couldn't help but lean in.

Melinda noticed Jones turn his head towards her.

"Nine times out of ten it's a pillow fort," He whispered.

"Hey! I heard that!" Allen refuted.

Everyone in the group except for Irwin settled.

"Wh-what can be my role?" Melinda asked bashfully.

A hush grew over the group as they felt their needs were pretty much covered and didn't want to default to having her be the only girl for the sake of filling a quota and nothing more.

"Ummmmmm, uhhhhhhhh," Jimmy stalled.

"You're our defender," Jones piped up, "You'll protect the meeting from any TRULY unwanted guests. Always bring your wand to the meeting. You'll need it."

Jones said that with an emphasis towards Irwin's disapproving aura. It was quite a job to be bestowed upon a brand new member to the society, let alone a new student to Ilvermorny as a whole. She graciously accepted her newly appointed position as Society Defender.

"I will defend the society with all my effort... the feather orders it!" She announced stoically.

All members were rather impressed by Melinda's quick witted response - all except Irwin, of course. The night and meeting carried on. They spoke about the issues in the boy's washroom to which Melinda had an answer for. Then they spoke about the leak in the ceiling, which again, Melinda was right there with a sound solution.

"Well... it's getting late, yeah?" Jones brought up, "I got Quidditch practice tomorrow so can we wrap this up?"

Some of the other members were in agreement with Jones' proposal and they were about to close the meeting until Melinda spoke up one last time.

"Wait! I thought I was invited here to be told about the Curse of Thunderbird!?" She asked.

A silence befell the entire group. Stunned faces stared at each other. Even Allen had a hard time keeping the cushions afloat after hearing those words escape from Melinda's mouth.

"Did she just..." Irwin's voice trailed, unable to finish his sentence.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" She asked for clarification.

Dexter and Irwin motioned from their seated position as if they wanted to exit the conversation immediately. It wasn't until Timmy extended his arms outward, blocking anyone from moving, did the group calm down.

"No one moves a muscle. It is true. Jimmy and I asked Melinda here to educate her on the Curse of Thunderbird... because... as Jones has noticed on his own, she's strong - probably the strongest person we've seen come to this house in a very long time and if you don't believe us, then talk to those that saw her get sorted," Timmy referenced.

Things were starting to fall into place and make sense for Melinda in her own mind. Maybe being paired with Timmy and Jimmy in potions class was not a sheer coincidence. Maybe once they saw they were working with her, they wanted to test whether or not she was the real deal because the rumor about the rather unique sorting ceremony she endured had swirled around.

"Okay, we're listening. Spew it," Jones spoke for everyone.

"Well, okay. So as we said in class, each house has a curse attached to it," Timmy began.

"Allegedly," Jimmy interjected.

"Yup. Allegedly, but it's all true," Timmy quantified, "The Curse of Thunderbird is said to occur every half century. Seeing that Thunderbird is the house that represents the soul of a wizard, it has been said that a ghost appears around Thunderbird Tower every half century in an effort to lure the student with the strongest soul out to the Desolate Forest to corrupt their mind and force them to do its evil bidding."

An eerie sense overcame the group of students as they listened intently to every word Timmy had to say. Melinda's ears perked up when she heard Timmy say the word 'ghost.' She couldn't prevent thoughts shoot through her head from her Trial of a True Wizard when she encountered a ghastly ghost she pondered about ever seeing again.

"No one knows how the ghost came to be but if the timing is right, then you might be the target, Melinda. Jimmy and I have no doubt in our minds that you have the strongest soul in the entire house because of how you were sorted. So we wanted to forewarn you should you encounter anything strange," Timmy forecasted.

"Anything strange not including this group of overgrown nerds in front of you," Jones chimed in playfully.

This was all suddenly making too much sense. Melinda felt like she just got to Ilvermorny and asked for none of this. All she wanted to do was blend in with the crowd and be a normal student but now she felt like she had to have her guard up wherever she went if indeed what she was hearing was all true. The evidence provided was convincingly hard to ignore.

"So what should I do then?" asked Melinda.

"Well... we wait and see for the ghost to make a move," Timmy concluded.


	7. Ghosts of Time and how to Ignore Them

Melinda Echoes glided down the halls of Ilvermorny. It was a beautiful day outside as the vibrant light shot through the windows within the castle. Melinda had been in good spirits for the past couple weeks despite predominantly spending most of her time alone. She was finally getting comfortable with her routine, classes and all the work it entailed. However, every so often, she'd pass by pockets of students she couldn't help but feel judged or watched by. The snickers usually came just as she was exiting earshot and she wondered what she had done to anyone else to deserve such treatment.

"Is it because I appear alone so much?" She whispered to herself under her breath.

Melinda was the type of girl that should not have lacked confidence in any capacity, yet there she was questioning things once more.

"Maybe all they're talking about is the sorting phenomenon I endured?" Melinda tried to create some sort of justification to herself.

Surely, all the other students had the same amount of homework and other things to concentrate their time on, right? Or was she the only one who was lambasted with more work than she knew what to do with. She feared she was missing something. She hoped the attention she was getting wasn't because of her looks, either. She wasn't the prettiest girl in the castle, but she always tried to take care of herself. She stopped in the middle of the hall by the water fountain and watched some foolish young boys use their wands to play with the spout. Droplets flew every which way but it suddenly didn't become the object of notice to Melinda's gaze.

"What the..." Her voice trailed.

She looked beyond the boys and down the adjacent hall where she could have sworn she thought she saw smoke emanate out from under the crack of a closed door. There was no way it was a potions class as those rooms were on the other side of the school. She blinked a few times, completely confused at what she thought she was seeing. Her eyes consistently gave her conflicting reports. One moment she thought she saw smoke, the next she saw nothing.

"Come on Melinda, get yourself together. Move along now," She scolded to herself.

She swung her chin forward and decided it was best to carry on. The thought that it was the Ghost of Time trying to contact her crept into her brain, but she simply refused to succumb to its allure or that notion. She clutched her books closely to her chest and attended her next class.

"Hey, is this seat taken?" A friendly voice sang.

Melinda peered over her shoulder and noticed a familiar faced girl inquire about the seat next to her. Melinda shook her head no and helped pull the chair out for her new desk mate.

"I've seen you around class a few times before, haven't I?" The new girl asked.

"Yup. I'm Melinda," The young wizard introduced.

"And I'm Hilary Norbert. Thanks for letting me sit next to you," She replied back.

Melinda was near flabbergasted at the mere thought of gaining a new friend that she made extra effort to get to know Hilary throughout the duration of their Introduction to Patronus Channeling class. They chatted during appropriate moments in the class both about the subject matter and their personal upbringings to point where Melinda couldn't wait for the class and opportunity to hang out again to pop up on the schedule.

"What house are you in?" Melinda asked.

"Oh, I'm in Wampus," Hilary said.

The first thought that shot through Melinda's mind was that of Blake Lostwoods gallivanting around happily with Caroline Carder.

"What's wrong?" Hilary questioned.

Melinda's face obviously shrunk with sourness at the sound of hearing Hilary say the name of the house that is comprised of the girl who seemingly wrecked her friendship and its potential for anything more. Hilary had very analytical eyes. She had a cute face to go along with the rest of her petite complexion. She had long, straight hair similar to Melinda but she was definitely not as tall nor as pretty but her outgoing nature made up for all of that.

"Oh! Nothing," Melinda replied as she seemed to snap out of it, "Hey, listen, how well do you know everyone in Wampus house?"

"Pretty good, I'd say, why?" Hilary inquired.

"No reason, just curious," Melinda sidetracked.

Melinda made no further effort to converse about that topic with Hilary but the thought of having her gain information about Blake and Caroline lingered in her skull just long enough to cast any sort of future plan. The conversation between the two didn't die but Hilary was left wondering with intrigue just what bothered Melinda about her being from Wampus. It was nearing the end of the day when the expert Patronus Professor wrapped up the lecture but not before taking a quick gaze out the window. The gong sounded and the students busily gathered their belongings and headed for the exits. That was, until, a few students surrounded the window alongside the professor. More and more students crowded the window to get a good look outside as all the extraordinary commotion eventually caught Melinda and Hilary's attention.

"What's going on?" Hilary subtly pondered.

"Not quite sure. It looks like everyone is looking outside at something," Melinda responded.

The girls cautiously motioned towards the group of people but they couldn't get a good enough vantage point to look out the window. All they could hear was the odd gasp and whispering. They noticed everyone's heads tilted upwards as if something was in the sky.

"I can't see anything, can you?" Hilary indicated.

"Nope," Melinda agreed, "Hey wait, come with me!"

Melinda hastily grabbed Hilary by the hand and sprinted out of the classroom. They darted down the hall, past some oblivious students and eventually caught up with a school of students all heading down the stairs and out to the courtyard. It was as if multiple classrooms caught a glimpse of whatever it was outside in the sky and massive amounts of students were jockeying to take a look.

"Whatever everyone is looking at; it sure has everyone's attention," Hilary shouted between breaths of air.

The two stumbled outside along with a slew of other faculty and students. They all peered at the sky, some sheltered their brows from the setting sun with a saluted hand over their brows. Melinda still couldn't see what all the fuss was about. The towering points of the castle seemingly blocked her view of anything until Hilary focused her in the right direction.

"Do you see it?" Hilary asked.

"Nope!" Melinda replied.

"Look! There!" Hilary pointed.

Hilary gently guided Melinda's head to look at a certain spot in the sky. There, floating rather randomly, appeared to be a pair of some sort of dark clouds that formed what looked like the number three and a capital M.

"What do you think it is?" Hilary begged.

Melinda turned away from the sky and Hilary all at once. She couldn't fathom another moment looking towards it as a realization of exactly what she had been looking at settled in.

"It... it looks like a three and an M," Melinda stated.

"3.M. Hmmmmmm... I have no idea what that could mean," Hilary thought.

"Uhhh, me neither," Melinda fibbed.

Melinda tried to calmly brush her hair back behind her ears but noticed her hands shook with fear. She knew what it was. It wasn't 3.M., it was M.E. just backwards, lingering in the sky. It was a clear message directly to her, from the Ghost of Time; a message that no one could simply ignore.


End file.
